Phillips Brooks, in his Lectures on Preaching, said a powerful statement that should be tattooed on the minds of all those who approach the pulit:

“If you are afraid of men and a slave to their opinions, go and do something else. Go and make shoes to fit them. Go even and paint pictures which you know are bad but which suit their bad taste. But do not keep on all your life preaching sermons which shall say not what God sent you to declare, but what they hire you to say.”[1]

© Seth Oliver Photographic Art

One brisk evening during my college years I spent time walking the streets of the bustling city of Chicago with a friend. The bustling city seemed to be spinning around us when suddenly our conversation came to a vulnerable calm. I listened as he opened the secret part of his heart and told me something that he had only shared with a few people, “Josh, I struggle with homosexuality and I hate it.”

Our conversation continued and with tears in his eyes he made it very clear that the attraction that he had for the same-sex was a cancer to his soul. He had longed for it to go into recession.

“There are nights I lay in bed so mad at myself begging God to take away my sinful desires,” he cried.

Sadly, this attraction to the same-sex is a more prevalent issue in the world today – and even within the walls of the church – then we’d like to admit. There are many people who know God created man for woman and woman for man, but still have to fight being attracted to someone of their same gender. Even more sadly, Christians don’t know what to do with this type of temptation and to quickly dismiss or avoid it, rather than offering prayer or support for those engaging in this continual battle.

Despite the lack of support my friend received from the church, God had helped him to continually keep the temptation at bay. Nonetheless,  there was a real battle against homosexual desires he had to fight with daily.

Too many believers are naive to the fact that homosexual sin is just as much of a problem inside the church as it is outside. Wake up! Christians, we cannot be quick to condemn those that struggle with an attraction to the same-sex as if they have committed some unforgivable offense. All sin is sin. Anything that we do that falls short of his holiness is sin. We cannot go on thinking that if a person has a wrong sexual and emotional desire they are too far from God’s reach. It is those very people who need to feel the grace-filled hand of our God and his hopeful grip pulling them to true freedom.

So, when talking with a person that is having homosexual thoughts, we must comfort them to correction rather than condemn them to separation from Christ. As I’ve traveled the globe speaking young people, more and more of them are telling me that they are indulging in a plethora of homosexual encounters. Culture has told us that sexual experimentation is okay, but the bible clearly says that it is not! The Apostle Paul wrote that we are to have “Not even a hint of sexual immorality.” God’s line is our line.

When I say that we must “comfort some to correction,” that does not mean that we condone their lifestyle to get them to the Cross. As God is, we too must be intolerant of the sin, but unconditionally love the sinner.

Homosexuality is a sin just like over eating, lying, cheating, gossiping, envy or stiff. It is not worse than the others, for all sin is pure defiance of God’s will. But in the same way, the death of Christ proved that God has power over sin and with faith he allows us to tap into that power through the Holy Spirit.  I do not believe thee is a “Gay Gene” that makes a person born gay and therefore trapped and beyond the reach of God. Temptation against this attraction can be fought and Christ can set a person free.

Please saints, don’t condemn those that are struggling with same-sex attraction. Pick them up and carry them to the Cross. Paul said it best when he wrote in Galatians 6:1 and 2:

“Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. ² Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 

Nine months ago God gave me a daughter. On Saturday I met her for the first time.

On February 11th my wife gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. We gave her the name, Grace Maureen. Her name will forever stand as a reminder of the way that God has given us what we don’t deserve.

Grace has been a sweet blessing. She has brought us great joy in her first week, and we look forward to many more days of life with her as a part of our family.

I came back from a long day of classes and meetings, just wanting to let my mind unwind. As I set my bag on my chair I notice that across the top of my desk someone had written in black ink, “REDEFINE GREATNESS.” At first I just wanted to know who had done it, and what kind of message they were trying to send me… soon my mind was no longer concerned with who or why, but what the message meant.

It was my friend Ryan that had written the two words across my college dorm desk – “Redefine greatness.” I even asked him what he meat by it, but he said that was for me to figure out. He challenged me, “Josh, recognize what greatness is in the world’s eyes – that is what must be redefined!” Sounds simple, but not at all simplistic. Greatness in the world’s eyes is being the top, having what you want, and in a sense, getting others to envy what you’ve got. Rewriting the definition for greatness means that we find what God deems as great and living to that standard.

So I started to flip though the pages of my Bible to find God’s view of “greatness.” In Mark 9, I didn’t only find my answer, but I found some other guys that had struggled with the same question.

The scene is set in verse 33 by telling us that the disciples had arrived in Capernaum and were gathered at a house. Obviously as they traveled with Jesus there were many things to talk about, but that day unparticular the topic of conversation was “Greatness.” By the sounds of it, things may have gotten a little heated as they didn’t merely converse greatness, but argued who is the greatest!

Jesus just plain out called the disciple and asked, “What were you arguing about on the road?”

In Verse 34 it says, “they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.” I think that is the Bible’s way of saying they were embarrassed to be having such a big-headed conversation.

Picture the awkward of the moment – here Jesus Christ himself asked  - “what were you talkin’ about?” And you have to tell him, “Oh, you know,” as they gazed in the sand trying to come up with something better, “We, um, we were talking about who is the greatest?”

Its easy for me to picture the situation that day. I am sure that if I would have been there I too would have chimed right into the argument flashing my pride in an effort to be the greatest.

I am sure that Jesus knew exactly what they were talking about on the road, but perhaps he wanted them to say it just so they could realize how selfishly silly it sounded. But then it says that Jesus Responded, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.”

Christ not only gave this definition of true greatness, but he exemplified it! Being God himself – the first – he became man and made himself servant of all; even when that meant death on our behalf.

He Redefined Greatness as humbleness. Christ has called us to take up the same cross of humility; to serve God by serving others. When we selflessly make ourselves last, then we are bringing glory to God and not depriving Him of praise that only He is worthy to receive. To stive for humility our hearts must have a posture of praise in the presence of God. C.J. Mahaney defined humility as “Honestly assessing ourselves in light of God’s holiness and our sinfulness.” He went on to say that “Humility gets God’s attention.

In Isaiah 66:2 God says, ‘This is the one to whom I will look: He who is humble and contrite in the spirit and trembles at my word.’ We can find motivation and purpose rooted in this amazing fact: Humility draws the gaze of our sovereign God.”

Many times I have felt just like that steamy coffee pot – as if I was going to explode with passion and that I couldn’t wait to be poured out for the Gospel.

I see the great need of those around me.  I can’t  stop dreaming of all of the great things that I hope to do yet in this life, if I am given the chance. All that I needed was a chance. Beneath the shiny chrome of my Christian faith, I am percolating with passion. I am filled with great dreams and passions that I can’t wait to show the world.  I am well aware that I am not alone in having great aspirations for God’s glorious work; there are hundreds and even thousands of the people in my generation – the millennials – who are ready to die to make a difference. I pray often that God will release the lid and let our passion shoot strait to the sky.

This passion for the gospel and God’s greater work started when I was young. I have grown up in Littleton Colorado almost all my life. I went to school here for all of my elementary and high school years. I was in class just five miles from Columbine High School on April 20^th, 1999.  After the shooting at columbine I saw teens is such anguish.  I also saw many of those same teens realize that they can make a difference if they are given a chance, and take it.

Millennials are Finally Finding Their Way
You see, as the largest generation to ever live, we are seeking to find a place in this world.  We have seen generations that have gone before us and fumble the opportunity to tell the world of Christ. God has risen up this generation, my generation, to let our light shine as the eyes of the world turn to us. I know that there are great generations that have passed, and  great generations that will follow.  Nonetheless, my hope is that the vastness of this generation will allow us to be be a light to all.  Every generation has the chance to further the kingdom of God… they just have to take it.

For all those born before the 1980′s, I would like to ask for your help.  If it is true that our generation has the potential to impact more people than ever before with the Gospel message of Jesus Christ, then please help us take the lid off of our passions and let it go for maximum potential and impact. Here are a few things you can do to help: 

• First, we need Christ like role models.  We need people in our lives that show us what it means to have a personal relationship with Christ.
• Second, tied to the first, we need help falling in love with Jesus. We need a little boost that will start us in that life changing relationship and then encouragement in that relationship.
• Third,  encouragement.  We need to be given those rocket boosters in life that will force us to the next level.  As young people, it is easy to have the things of life cling to us and weight us down.  Sometimes, we just need help to see what is important in life.

If a millennial were to have a relationship with a role model older than them that shows them Jesus, then they are bound to shoot to the ceiling. My prayer is that we will be a generation that will not be looked down on just because of our age, yet that we can set an example to the world through our speaking of Jesus, the way that we live our life, our love for the world (saved and unsaved), and purity in all area of our example (1 Timothy 4:12).

I still pray daily that we will be a revival generation!

Photo Courtesy of iStockphoto.com, © fotokostic, File #17006126

My dad was a linebacker for the Air Force Academy football team, and he told me this story:  After the huddle broke, he approached the line. My dad is a pretty big guy, but when he saw who he was up against, he didn’t feel so big anymore. He explains how his opponent was larger than life and even when crouched down, his huge body blocked the sun and there my dad stood shivering in his shadow. When quarterback finally called “Hike” my dad just closed his eyes and with all his might tried to tackle the giant.

After the collision, he barely got up to find the huddle. As he wobbled over to the other guys, he realized that the hit that he just taken dinged him a little bit worse than he thought. He told the other players, “Hey look, I am not doing so good. I can only hear out of one ear, my nose is in excruciating pain, and I have tunnel vision in one eye.”

The other players laughed and said, “Jim, turn your helmet around, you’re looking out the ear hole”

Isn’t funny how we walk through life asking each other, “How are you?” and the majority of us simply answer “Oh, I’m Good” when the truth may be that we are dinged by life. The truth is that we all have hard days that knock the wind out of us and make it hard to get up and try again.

One of my favorite lines from the movie “Hitch” is when will smith says, “Begin everyday as if it were on purpose.” This morning I tried that… I got up, had my quiet time and one specific Bible verse shook me from my apathetic state. It was Galatians 6:9:

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Every setback is a set up for a comeback.

This is so much easier said than done. I am always quick to grow weary of the good thing I know I should do. Paul is saying that we can’t grow exhausted by our efforts of righteousness. There are many things in my life that I would rather avoid such as paying debt, doing school, going to work… But I must be disciplined to run the race Christ has marked out for me as it says in Hebrews 12:1. To keep on doing these things without growing fatigued, I must keep my eyes on the goal of knowing Christ more and I must continually tap into the power of the Holy Spirit through prayer and the Bible. I find that by taking time daily to talk to God, journal, and read his Word I am re-energized to keep fighting the good fight.

 Proverbs 4:25-26:

Let your eyes look straight ahead,
fix your gaze directly before you.
Make level paths for your feet
and take only ways that are firm.

Dr. Easley, The former president of Moody Bible Institute and Lead Pastor of Fellowship Church in Brentwood, TN, talked about this verse when he said, “It’s amazing how easily our heads are turned. I can walk across the parking lot, and many harmless things turn my head. I can drive home and many not so harmless things turn my head. I can plan and dream and pray and many things can pull my attention from my task. I think that I have a major case of spiritual ADD and ADHD.

I love the words of [Proverbs 4]. “Directly ahead.” Not turning, letting my eyes graze on other fields. “Fixed straight in front of you.” deliberate, Focused, intent. Eye on the ball. There is a lot to be said for a single clear focus.

Hang tough. Stay true. Live and think clean.”

So how do honesty and grace connect? The grace of God is the very thing that allows us to be honest. If it were not for His grace – the combination of his unconditional love and His unrelenting mercy – we would not be able to say the things we need to say to God. Because He is full of grace, we can trust that He is not only big enough to take the things we need to say, but mighty enough to change the things that need to be changed in light of what is said.

You and I are not honest in order to get more from God – See God, this is how I feel, so fix it – no, our honesty with God is much more far reaching than that. When we are honest with God we are not begging to get more from Him, but we are striving to get more of Him.

Perhaps the words I just read sound familiar to you. They were the opening lyric to one of the most influential songs in pop history. The young people of the 1960’s & 70’s embraced John Lennon’s song “Imagine” and chased the idea of a world that lives and dies with no consequences – a world that has no one to cling to but one another. An altar of peace was proposed instead of war. Belief in nothing was suggested – in replacement of faith.

Three generations later there is no peace. We are still battling wars, fighting terrorism, dispelling racism and grappling with tragedy. Has anything changed? The only thing that seems that have changed decades later is that our young people are mostly indifferent when it comes to consequences for wrongdoing. Tolerance and permissiveness have paved the way for an over-indulgent way of life. Back in the 1960’s it was the church’s goal to reach young people before they graduated high school. Today, the chance of a child giving their heart to Christ after elementary school are no greater than four percent. Why is this? Is this because those who’ve gone before us bought into the lie of Lennon’s song that there was no heaven – or because they focused more on peace instead of faith in Christ.

In the Bible, Joshua faced tribes that fell away even after God blessed them in many ways. He said in Joshua 22, “How could you break faith with the God of Israel like this? How could you turn away from the LORD and build yourselves an altar in rebellion against him now?” (Vs.16)

We are greatly blessed but often blind. 
Think of the ways God has given us so many amazing things in this life alone – are we really going to throw this all to the way side by building our own alters of rebellion? We cannot come to a point in our life where we start to think of heaven as nothing more than an illusion or inclination. The second we do, we will begin to lose our focus on Him and go lazy in our pursuit of holiness. Let’s not ever forget the reward of being with God and all His goodness for all of eternity!

John Lennon may have written a beautiful song, but it lost its beauty with its misleading lyrics. Don’t live life without stopping to remember there is a heaven – a true place we at one time will go if we keep our eyes fixed on the prize. Take my courage my friend…the temporary pains and wars of this world with be replaced for eternal joys and peace once we are in His presence.

(picture from www.reachingcampus.com)

Grasping for a relationship with God isn’t always easy. If we are honest, it can sometimes even seem impossible. Yet, in the Bible we are commanded to seek after God with all our heart, mind, and soul (Deuteronomy 4:29). But how are we to pursue a God that we can’t hear, see, or physically feel? Here are a few biblical tips to help you pursue God wholeheartedly: 

1. Pray that God will give you a desire for Him. We can see many times in Scripture where people prayed for God to give them a longing for Him. A great prayer to memorize and pray often is in found in Psalm 63:1-8 where it says, “O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you” (vv.1-3). 

2. Remove (or put in check) the things in your life that you love more than Him. It is easy to love the good things that God gives us more than we love Him. Our possessions, things that bring us pleasure, or even our loved ones, can often become idols of our heart. We must ensure we are not loving anything more than God, for when we do we replace God’s rightful place in our lives with something less than Him.

3. Spend time in meditation and prayer. Some of the great puritan believers of old (such as John Owen or Jonathan Edwards) spent hours in prayer and meditation each day. They would spend time praying through their life and asking God to reveal to them where He was needed most. Through concentrated times of prayer they found their desire for God grow to the point where they longed to return to their prayer time again and again and again.

4. Get around others who desire God. A Christian is not supposed to live life alone. We are meant to be connected to others that are desiring God and longing for His Word in their life. If you are primarily surrounded with people who do not know God, you are bound to begin to dwindle in your desire to know Him.

A love for God doesn’t grow on accident. Like a new born child, God gives us life but we must continue to nurture and grow it to maturity. If you would like more help in your walk with God and some tips for discipling your own soul, feel free to email me and I’ll see if there are some ways I can encourage you with prayer and resources. In the end, strive for God with all your strength and I know His Spirit will meet you in biblical and unexpected ways.